2018 National Quartet Convention - Thursday Night Recap

I tuned in last night to catch the last part of Greater Vision's set. I will miss tonight's but be back for most of Saturday night.

Highlights and Commentary - 

• Of course, Thursday has become known as Gaither day at NQC. I didn't hear if it was sold out like last year but just judging by the webcast it looked pretty full. The Gaither Vocal Band had a 45 minute set last night. The more I hear this lineup, the more I like them - Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Reggie Smith, Todd Suttles and Bill Gaither. Wes Hampton is one of the best vocalists on the road today, in my opinion.
• Someone recently asked me who's going to be the next big up and coming group. My answer was the Jordan Family Band. I 100% stand by that after hearing them again last night during the power half hour on main stage. They are one to watch!

Favorite Performances of the Night - 

• "He'll Carry Me" - Greater Vision
• "When the Prodigal Comes Home" - Tribute Quartet
• "My Faith Still Holds" - Mark Trammell Quartet
• "Calvary" - Jim Brady Trio
• "I Will Go On" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "He Made a Change" - Legacy Five 
• "Walking Through Fire" - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
• "He Never Made a Promise" - Kingdom Heirs
• "You Better Get Right" - Jordan Family Band

2018 Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City - Day 2

Today was jam packed full of good music. Kudos to D.A. Callaway and the Silver Dollar City staff for a stellar lineup today. It was hard to be able to see as much as I wanted! I was able to see five different artists. Here are the highlights of the day -


Brian Free & Assurance

• "He Can Take It" - This is becoming one of my favorite BFA songs. The message of this song hits home every time.
• "Beyond Amazed"
• "What a Beautiful Day" - Brian let the high part on this song soar, and it was the first concert of the day!
• "Say Amen" - Another favorite! It's always great to hear how the crowd gets into this song as a testament to what God has done in their lives. 

The Erwins

• Today marked the release of their new project Watch & See. Ernie Haase surprised them at their first show and to congratulate them on the release, ask them to sign the CD and then invite them to sing at Echo Hollow that night with Signature Sound. 
• We got to hear several of their new songs. I cannot wait to listen to the full project - on repeat. Every song they sang was incredible! - 
• "Glorious, Amazing God"
• "Watch & See" - This is the title and first single. I'm anxious to see it make its way to the top of the charts!
• "After the Storm" - Katie did an amazing job on this song. Her voice is mature beyond her 17 years. 
• "Hallelujahs Never End" 
• "In the House of the Lord" - I loved the lighting effects they used with song!

Joseph Habedank

• "Jailbreak"
• "Never, No Never" - I was glad he staged this on from his Welcome Home project.
• "There Is a Fountain" - This has become one of my favorite hymns and he does such a great job on this one. 
• "Beauty of the Blood" - Joseph shared a little bit of his testimony before this song. I love hearing his share his heart and the story of how God has worked in his life. I appreciate how transparent Joseph has always been and how he's using his story to encourage others. 
• "Here He Comes" - He ended the set with this song. I love the energy and the message of this song.

Karen Peck & New River

• "Pray Now"
• "It Is Well" - Grant sang this one by himself and it was incredible!
• "Gotta Be Saved" - I'm glad I got to hear this one live. This song is the #1 song for the group for September, written by Karen, Joseph Habedank and Wayne Haun. 
• "I Am Blessed" - The more I hear this song, the more I fall in love with it. I love hearing Karen sing this song!
• "Victory Is Mine" 
• "Four Days Late"
• "I Know I'll Be There" - This is such a powerful song! They ended their last show with this song. 

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

We unfortunately had to leave a little early tonight, but it was a treat to hear so many songs live for the first time from EHSS's Clear Skies project.

• "Clear Skies" - The funny part of this song was it started to sprinkle rain a little bit and umbrellas and ponchos started coming out right before this song. So they sang this and then they got to this line - "Sometimes this life gives you thunder and then you get caught in the rain." And everyone, EHSS included, couldn't help but laugh. Thankfully it never did really rain and the sprinkling didn't last long!
• "Give Me Jesus" - This was the song of the night for me. I love the simple message of this song. It's exactly the simple motto that we all need to be reminded of daily.
• "Heaven Is"
• "Sailing With Jesus"
• "Ol Man River" - Paul sang this from his new solo project. He does an incredible job on this song from Showboat.
• "Then Came the Morning" - This might have been the moment of the night to hear them sing this right before intermission. It's such a powerful song and I love that they are staging it!

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - February 24

Here are some news items from this week in Southern Gospel music -

• The Guardians announced this week that they are becoming a quartet permanently with Pat Barker on bass.
• The first round of nominations for the 2018 Singing News Fan Awards are now open. Singing News subscribers can now vote here.
• Ernie Haase & Signature Sound will perform the national anthem ahead of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.
• Prayers for the family of Billy Graham who passed away on the morning of Feb. 21. He preached the gospel to around 215 million people who attended one of his more than 400 Crusades, simulcasts and evangelistic rallies in more than 185 countries and territories.

Anything I've missed?

Saturday Night - National Quartet Convention

Well, NQC 2017 has now come to an end. Since I first discovered gospel music as a teenager, I heard about the National Quartet Convention and how it was a "must" event for gospel music fans. It's been a "bucket list" item for a while for me, and this week I got to check it off. It's truly been an incredible week. I've gotten to attend more than 42 hours of concerts during this week (and I didn't even go to everything!).

This morning's chapel was a hymn sing hosted by Gerald Wolfe and Dr. Tim Hill speaking. It was one of the most precious times of worship I've ever been a part of. The message was one of the best I've ever heard. This afternoon, we got to see a Dixie Melody Boys reunion and a tribute to the television show The Gospel Singing Jubilee.

Here's a look at highlights and commentary from tonight -

• The reunions and tributes were my favorite sets of the night. The Gold City reunion featured Jay Parrack, Mark Trammell, Jonathan Wilburn and the one and only Tim Riley. The Perrys reunion went through the decades starting with the original Perry siblings - Libbi, Debra and Randy. They sang clips of all their hits through the decades. Then, the Nelons did a sweet tribute to Rex Nelon. They had Jason's dad, Dan Clark, singing bass for them. They all lived up to the hype!
• Tribute and the Isaacs had the longer sets tonight. Tribute got to sing a lot from Here For You. Sonya (who hosted along with Scotty Inman tonight) got to give part of her testimony before singing "I Love You More."
• The finale of the night featured #1 songs from eight different groups. Well, except for the Kingdom Heirs who were supposed to sing "Joys of Heaven" but there was a track issue. They ended up having Gerald Wolfe come up and play piano for them on "I Know He Heard My Prayer." This ended up being such a great moment!

Key Performances -

• "I'd Rather Have Jesus" - The Blackwood Brothers featuring Michael Helwig
• "Scars in the Hands of Jesus" - Diplomats
• "When He Calls I'll Fly Away" - Gold City Reunion
• "Every Cry Is Heard" - Jim Brady Trio
• "Jesus Saves" - Tribute Quartet
• "I Wish I Could Have Been There" - The Perrys Reunion
• "Just When You Thought" - Joseph Habedank
• "Damascus Road" - Kingdom Heirs
• "He Is Mine and I Am His" - The Hoppers
• "I Love You More" - The Isaacs
• "It's Almost Over" - The Mark Trammell Quartet
• "Oh, For a Thousand Tongues" - The Nelons
• "Then Came The Morning" - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
• "Til the Storm Passes By" - Greater Vision

National Quartet Convention - Friday Night

Tonight was my favorite night overall. Every group pressed through it being Friday night of NQC and put together amazing sets. There are a lot of highlights and standout peroformances, so here we go -

• The past two nights have been more quartet centric. Tonight it was more about family groups with the majority of the groups being mixed groups. But even with the quartets you had some family connections.
• The Erwins had one of the strongest sets of the night close to the beginning of the night. They brought Joseph Habedank up to join them for a sing since they are doing some tour dates together now. They also paid a sweet tribute to Vestal Goodman with "What a Lovely Name."
• We got to hear several new songs again tonight with Gold City singing "If Church Pews Could Shout" and Jeff and Sheri Easter singing several from their new project including Sheri featured on "Wayfaring Stranger" and Morgan on "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," loved both of these old/new songs. I'd also never heard Ricky Braddy of Karen Peck & New River sing "I Bowed on My Knees and Cry Holy," but he did an outstanding job on that song!
• The Browders told the story of a woman who had been given a grim diagnosis listening to the song "Put It Into God's Hands." The song became an anthem for her and she called the Matthew Browder after a followup appointment. The Browders played the voicemail they received saying that all the tests were now completely clear. It was a powerful moment! They then had some help on the chorus of the song from Riley Harrison Clark, Lauren Talley and John Darin Rowsey.
• The Whisnants singing "New Day Dawning" on main stage never fails to disappoint. They were joined by Suzanne Taylor Hise (one of the hosts for the evening) and several members of Second Half Quartet with Rodney Griffin showing off his dance moves around the stage.
• It's too hard to crown a best set of the night. 

Key Performances

• "Heaven in the House" - The Littles
• "We'll Understand It Better By and By" - Dixie Echoes
• "I Can Through Christ" - Erwins with Joseph Habedank
• "I Will Stand" - Gold City
• "I've Won" - The McKameys
• "Cost of the Cross" - Kingsmen
• "I'm Trusting the Blood" - The Whisnants
• "Put It Into God's Hands" - The Browders
• "Going Home" - Second-Half Quartet
• "Wayfaring Stranger" - Jeff and Sheri Easter
• "Jesus Only Jesus" - The Rick Webb Family
• "Jesus Changed Everything" - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
• "Four Days Late" - Karen Peck & New River
• "The Cross Is All the Proof I Need" - Triumphant Quartet
• "This Is My Father's World" (a cappella) - Collingsworth Family

Ain't God Good - Thursday Recap of Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic

Wednesday night was the Second Half Quartet and the good news is that all of the members were back in the park on Thursday. I got the chance to see the Mark Trammell Quartet, Pat Barker and Greater Vision before heading down to Echo Hollow to see Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. Here's a look at highlights from the day -


The Mark Trammell Quartet

• "Leave Your Sorrows"
• "Treasures in Heaven" 
• "I Know" - Nick did a great job on this song! This is one from their new project, which releases today. 
• "The King Is Coming" - No one does this song better than this group!
• "He Hideth My Soul"
• "Echoes From the Burning Bush" - They joined new piano player Trevor Conkle around the keyboard for this song with just the keys backing them up. 

Pat Barker

• "Ain't God Good"
• "How Big Is God" - Of course he received several requests for this song. He said it was 10 years ago when he first sang that song at Silver Dollar City on the stage where he was yesterday.
• "I Can See (Emmaus Road)" - Such an incredible song!! He shared a bit of his testimony and what the song meant to him now.
• Request time - Pat took time just to hear what people wanted him to sing or answer questions. He sang a cappella verses and choruses of several songs like "Amazing Grace," "The Lighthouse" and "Because He Lives." 
• "Thanks to Calvary"

Greater Vision

• "There Is Hope" - Great one they started with from Still.
• "God Doesn't Care" - Love this song also from their new project! It's a song that Chris wrote.
• "My Name Is Lazarus" 
• "He's Still Been God" - They ended with this one that you could tell the audience still loved hearing!

Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

• "Some Day"
  
• "Noah Found Grace" - Even if it might not be Devin's favorite song, it's one the audience loved hearing. 
• "Give Me Jesus" - This is a song that Fanny Crosby wrote lyrics to but was only recently found. 
• "Sometimes I Wonder" - So glad to hear them staging this song again!
• "A Soldier Coming Home" 
• "Then Came the Morning" - This was the moment of the night for me!! Ernie said it had been a while since they had sung this one, but it was incredible!
• "Step Into the Water"
• "Heavenly Parade" - It's good to hear them doing a lot of these older gospel songs. 
• "Draw Me Nearer" - They put an EHSS spin on this Fanny Crosby classic.
• "Any Other Man"

Praisefest Branson 2017 - Recap - Part 2

Friday morning at Praisefest Branson they teased that there would be a surprise that night. You could hear a few guesses and suspicions of what that might be. The groups scheduled to be there that night were Legacy Five, Cana's Voice, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound and the Mark Trammell Quartet.

Here are a few highlights of the first half of the night -

• "One Holy Lamb" (Legacy Five) - Tenor Josh Feemster was featured on this song. 
• "Hands of a Carpenter" (Legacy Five) - Scott Fowler told a little bit about the background of this song. It was a last minute edition to their latest album. Trey Ivey arranges all their music and Scott sent him the song the night before to arrange. Scott later told him the final piece of including this song on the project would be for Trey to sing it. So Trey stepped out from behind the piano for this one. 

• "Oh for a Thousand Tongues" (Cana's Voice) - They said this was the first song they ever sang together at Wayne Haun's house when they were talking about forming the group. Loved hearing them sing this with just the piano.
• "Jesus Never Fails" (Cana's Voice) - This is one of my favorite songs released in the last year. Love hearing it live!
• "Blessed Assurance" (Ernie Haase and Signature Sound) - I love the group's unique take on this classic hymn. 
• "Get Away Jordan" (Ernie Haase and Signature Sound) - This is always such a fun, uptempo song, and it definitely got the entire audience on its feet clapping along. However, Ernie took it down a notch and took a break between the song to talk about the lyrics of the last verse and what it meant to him especially after George Younce passed. I think it's easy for us to get caught up in the fast songs and sometimes lose the meaning, so I loved that he did this!
• "The King Is Coming" (Mark Trammell Quartet) - Love hearing Mark sing this song! It was their last song of the night.

The Mark Trammell Quartet sang a few songs actually to start the second half. Then, Landon Beene,president of IMC Concerts, came out and said when you had Gerald Wolfe, Ernie Haase, Scott Fowler and Mark Trammell all together, there needed to be a little bit of a Cathedral Reunion segment. Pat Barker was brought on stage to join them for the bass part. Here are some of my favorites that they sang -

• "Echoes From the Burning Bush"
• "Master Builder"
• "Boundless Love"
• "There Is a Fountain" (a cappella)
• "We Shall See Jesus" - This was the last song of the night and was probably the moment of the night!

The tease to a surprise was better than expected! So glad we got this mini Cathedral Family Reunion!

Saturday morning was the last session of the weekend. It was a little sad for it all to come to an end. In addition to great music, we also got to hear great preaching from Phil Hoskins. This was my first time to hear him speak in person. I'm thankful that IMC Concerts included Biblical teaching and preaching during the weekend. 

Saturday morning had music from the Erwins, Cana's Voice and Legacy Five. This was my first time to hear the Erwins in person. Jody McBrayer led the congregation in worship to start the final session of the day with "Oh How I Love Jesus" and "In the Garden." 

Here are a few highlights from the morning - 

• "Greater" (Erwins) - I'm really glad they included this one in their set. It's one of my favorites they sing. 
• "Clouds" (Erwins) - They talked about how the song came from a verse in Nahum. It's such a great song about how great God is if the clouds are the dust at His feet. Keith does a great job on this song. 
• "Big Enough" (Cana's Voice) - Loved hearing this one live. TaRanda also took time to explain where the name of Cana's Voice came from. Jesus used the broken and dirty ceremonial pots to perform his first miracle. She talked about the repurposing of those pots for a new purpose. God had a special plan and way to use them, they felt the same way with their ministry and where they were in their lives. 
• "Great Medley" (Legacy Five) - Love hearing all these old songs together. Their arrangement of these songs is one of my favorite songs from that project. 
• "Christ Is Still the King" (Legacy Five) - Such a great song to end the weekend on!

If you ever get a chance to attend a Praisefest event, I highly recommend it! Check out IMC Concerts for information on next year's event or one near you!

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Oct. 16

Here are some news and tidbit items from this week in Southern Gospel -

• The Dove Awards were held this week in Nashville. The awards show will air tonight on TBN at 9 p.m., Central. Congratulations to these Southern Gospel winners - 
• Southern Gospel Artist of the Year - Karen Peck & New River, Daywind Record
• Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year - “I Am Blessed" by Karen Peck & New River; (writers) Karen Peck Gooch, Kenna West, Michael Farren 
• Country Recorded Song of the Year  - "Small Town Someone (Lunch)" Jeff & Sheri Easter; (writers) Sheri Easter, Kenna Turner West, Jason Cox 
• Southern Gospel Album of the Year - Still, Booth Brothers (producers) Jason Webb, Lari Goss, Ronnie Booth, Michael Booth, Jim Brady 
• Bluegrass/Country Album of the Year - Small Town, Jeff & Sheri Easter (producers) Madison Easter, Greg Cole, Jeff & Sheri Easter 
• Choral Collection of the Year - Southern Gospel Songs (10 New, Emerging and Classic Hits for Southern Gospel Choir) (arranger & orchestrator) Marty Hamby 
• Long Form Video of the Year - Hymns That Are Important To Us, Joey + Rory, (director) Daniel Grace (producers) Aaron Carnahan, Joel McAfee, Bill Gaither
• Prayers go out to Devin McGlamery of Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. He lost his father suddenly after a possible stroke. 
• Congratulations to Kasey (Allegiance Trio) and Haley Kemp who welcomed their first baby, a daughter, Avaline, on October 11. She was 8 pounds, 7 ounces. Both mother and baby are doing well. 
• Squire Parsons was honored with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine on Oct. 5. The event took place at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina. According to the The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society the award is among the most prestigious awards conferred by the Governor of North Carolina. It is awarded to persons for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and their communities that is above and beyond the call of duty and which has made a significant impact and strengthened North Carolin,

Anything I've missed?

Fun Clip Friday - National Quartet Convention 2003

Everyone in the industry is getting ready for National Quartet Convention next week. I would say it's the event people most look forward to. I'll be watching via webcast again this year and definitely looking forward to it!

For today's Fun Clip Friday, let's take a look back at one of the most memorable moments from NQC. George Younce made an appearance with Ernie Haase and Signature Sound in 2003 and sang "Suppertime."

Enjoy the clip below for today's Fun Clip Friday!

Feeling Happy on Day 9 - Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic 2016

It's Day 9 of Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic, and things are winding down. And as much as I love this, I am wearing out. I still managed to see six groups today, three trios, a family group and two quartets.

I'm sorry that I feel like my recaps are getting shorter and shorter, but here is how my day went -


Greater Vision

My day began at the park at the 12:30 p.m. Greater Vision show. They started with the fan favorite "My Name Is Lazarus."

They also sang a few newer ones like "The Blood Hasn't Ever Changed," "I Do Know" and "Put Out the Fire."

Gerald said he had some requests to play the piano so he accompanied Chris as he sang "Like I Wish I'd Lived in the Past," such a great song! They ended the set with "When They Ring the Bells of Heaven."


Taylors


This was my first time seeing the group since Leslie left earlier this year. They opened with their single, "He Won't Fail You." Loved hearing this one live. Chris was featured on another one from their latest release, "Somebody's Praying."

They sang a few familiar favorites like "Joy Bells" and "My, My, My." They also sang a couple of classics, "Victory in Jesus," where they had the audience join in, and "I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary," love their version of this song!

They ended with "We Are Not Ashamed," such a powerful song!


Goulds

From the Taylors, I went to see the second family group of the day, The Goulds. This family is from the Joplin, Missouri area so not far from Silver Dollar City. They opened with "Bigger Than Any Mountain" and then sang "Glory Hallelujah Song."

Kelsey and Kristen sang "This Is the Stuff" accompanied by their dad on guitar. This is a song made popular by contemporary artist Francesca Battestelli. It's a great song about how God can be in the little interruptions in our lives.

They sang a few hymns, "In the Sweet By and By" and "At Calvary," which they did a cappella. Tim told Kristen to pick a note and start it. He joked that when he told her to do that he could either end up like J.D. Sumner or Ernie Haase. He sounded just like Tim Gould this time! :)


Downing Family

The Downing Family is from Oklahoma. I think I remember seeing them a few years ago at Silver Dollar City. They have a more bluegrass sound to them and use all live instruments on stage.

They opened with "The Grass Will Be Greener." They then let the next generation of their family come up and sing "He Holds Me in His Hands."

They sang a song made popular by the Isaacs, "If That Don't Make You Wanna Go." One of the daughters writes a lot of their music. She wrote a song from the viewpoint of the child who died as a baby about growing up in Heaven, such a beautiful, touching song!

They ended their set with "Walk the Sea With Me."


New South

New South was awarded Branson's favorite gospel group last year. This quartet performs nightly at the Grand Country Music Hall. You might recognize of their quartet members, David Ragan, who has sung with a few gospel groups. They opened with "Riding High."

They talked about the history of the Foggy River Boys in Branson and paid tribute to them with a few songs, "Low Down Chariot" and "Glory Road."

They brought out their comedian from the show, Jamie Hagee, who did entertain at Silver Dollar City for a number of years. He was featured on "By the Time."

They sang a few more classics like "The Lighthouse," "Getting Ready to Leave This World" and "Just a Little Talk With Jesus."


Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

Last year was my first time seeing this group live in person. They sang mostly songs from their recent hymns CD and Happy People.

They opened with "One of These Mornings" and then Devin was featured on "He Hideth My Soul."

They sang "Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord," which is always a fun one to hear them sing live!

But I loved hearing all the hymns that they sang from their Fanny Crosby hymn sing! Paul and Ernie were featured on "Blessed Assurance," one of my all-time favorite hymns. They also sang "Near the Cross," "Redeemed" and "I Am Thine Oh Lord."

It wouldn't be a night with EHSS without "Oh What a Savior," which they did right before intermission and had the crowd on its feet. They also sang a few Cathedrals classics like "Step Into the Water." Once they started "Step Into the Water," the audience immediately started clapping.

They featured piano player Tyler Vestal not only with an instrumental but also turned him loose to sing "Who Am I." He did an outstanding job!

It was also good to hear "A Soldier Fighting to Go Home" and "Jesus Changed Everything Live."

They ended with a reprise of "Happy People" that they sang in the first half.

Three more days of the festival left!

Fun Clip Friday - PB&J Productions

Pat Barker announced the creation of PB&J Productions a few months ago. He has now released the first webcast episode. It features interviews with Bill Shivers, Scott Fowler, Ernie Haase and Matt Fouch. Enjoy for today's Fun Clip Friday!

Hymns of Fanny Crosby - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound - CD Review

If I had to list my favorite hymns, several Fanny Crosby songs would make the list! Earlier this
month, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound released an album of just her hymns. I'm always interested to see when groups release a hymns project if they will cut them as we are used to hearing or put their own style to the song.

With Ernie Haase & Signature Sound you can guarantee they aren't going to put out any ordinary hymn CD, but do their best to make the songs their own.

The album starts with "Blessed Assurance." This group definitely gives the song a fresh feel with a bluesy feel. Bass singer Paul Harkey takes the first verse and Ernie Haase the second.

Devin McGlamery is featured on the first verse of a soulful "He Hideth My Soul," and again Ernie takes the second verse. I think the organ on this song is a nice touch.

"I Am Thine O Lord/ Draw Me Nearer" has a cool intro that starts with a steady background beat that continues throughout the song. Devin has the lead on this song. I love how this song shows off his voice. When the guys hit the chorus of "Draw Me Nearer," I really liked some of the creative liberties they took.

Ernie starts "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross" very tenderly. I really like the soft arrangement of the song. Ernie does a recitation for one of the verses. I love how the quartet sounds as a group on the chorus.

Piano starts "Pass Me Not" with the full quartet singing. Then Dustin Doyle takes one of the verses. This verse is further evidence of the great hire EHSS made with Dustin. Even though I love how EHSS can take these old songs and make them their own, this simple arrangement was a stand out to me.

"Praise Him! Praise Him!" starts out with a Celtic feel. The blend of the group is really showcased throughout the song. I also love the start to "Redeemed" with a totally different feel. This one has a country feel with some banjos and "heys" thrown in. Dustin takes the lead on this one as well.

The project ends with "Tell Me the Story of Jesus" featuring Paul and Ernie. This shows off Paul's range as he tackles the upper part of his register. This one was another favorite.

I love how diverse Signature Sound made a hymns project. From Celtic sounds to banjos to organs, they really put their own style to each song and brought new life to these familiar hymns! This project is definitely worth checking out!


Song List -
1. "Blessed Assurance"
2. "He Hideth My Soul"
3. "I Am Thine O Lord/ Draw Me Nearer"
4. "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross/ In the Cross"
5. "Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior"
6. "Praise Him! Praise Him!"
7. "Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It"
8. "Tell Me the Story of Jesus"

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - April 30

Here are some news and tidbit items from this week -

• Chip Pullen, lead singer for Gold City, announced his resignation over Facebook Live on Thursday night. He has been attending Bible school and been called to preach, so he plans to devote more time to that coming off the road. "We love Chip, and we hate to see him go, but we certainly understand that God has a great plan for his life in the ministry. Chip is like a brother to us, so we are certainly going to miss him and his powerful voice in the lead position," Daniel Riley said. If you are interested in auditioning for the lead position, you can email goldcityauditions@gmail.com with a resume, photo and demo.
• Tim Lovelace was given the keys to the city of Orleans, Indiana last week. He was honored at the Orleans Dogwood Festival.
• Ernie Haase was recently recognized as a Legend by Castle High School in Newburgh, Indiana. He has been faithful to return to his high school to mentor youth and included some of the high school students in various Ernie Haase and Signature Sound productions. 
• Please remember the family of Jack Henderson in your prayers. He was the original tenor singer for the Kingsmen. He passed away on April 16.

Anything I've missed?

Fun Clip Friday - Scott Fowler with Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

Change is inevitable in Southern Gospel groups, and sometimes you see people move from one group to another. It looks like the last time Ernie Haase and Signature Sound had an opening, Scott Fowler tried out. I think he nailed the vocals, but there were some choreography issues, which is why he didn't get the job. Take a look at his tryout video below -





Happy April Fool's Day! Scott Fowler has never tried out for Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. He filled in one night during a Cathedrals Family Reunion Event after the birth of Dustin Doyle's child. 

Fun Clip Friday - On the Couch With Fouch

Happy Friday to everyone! The On the Couch With Fouch series is something people have started looking forward to each month. Legacy Five's bass singer Matthew Fouch releases a new interview each month with a Southern Gospel artist.

This month he talks to fellow bass singer Paul Harkey who sings with Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. Check it out here, and enjoy for today's Fun Clip Friday!

Cathedrals Family Reunion - Branson, MO - 2015

The Cathedrals Family Reunion event was exactly as advertised - a family reunion. I had the chance to attend one of the events in Branson, Missouri. The event includes Cathedrals alumni Mark Trammell, Gerald Wolfe, Scott Fowler, Danny Funderburk and Ernie Haase and their groups. The event also includes Pat Barker (formerly of Mark Trammell Quartet) on bass for most of the classic Cathedrals sets.

It was clear that this really was a family affair. These guys share a special bond, all having been a part of the Cathedrals. They picked on each other like family. They had no real set list, but listened to requests from the audience and from other members as to what to sing next. I'm sure each Cathedrals Family Reunion is a little different!

Since I didn't discover Southern Gospel and the Cathedrals until my teen years, I never got the chance to see them live in person. But I feel like this was the next best thing! It was clear that these men had the utmost respect for George Younce and Glen Payne. They recognized the impact on their lives and their careers. The weekend was really a tribute to them and their legacy in gospel music.

I'll be honest this is one of those events that I didn't bother taking detailed notes during for the blog. I just wanted to enjoy it. So you're just getting the high points of the weekend, but there are definitely plenty of those!

Friday night's session started with the five guys and all their groups on stage. They sang a couple and then each group had its own set. Since Dustin Doyle and his wife just had a new baby, Wayne Haun filled in at baritone Friday night for Ernie Haase and Signature Sound.

For the classic Cathedrals' part of the night, Scott, Ernie, Danny, Gerald, Mark and Pat gathered around the piano. No tracks, just Gerald on piano and Mark playing the bass guitar. I loved that they had a semi-plan, but really felt the crowd and weren't afraid to just call out songs. It was fun seeing all five guys interact and sing together. They sound incredible together!! It's good to see Pat Barker still a part of these events. People commented all weekend long how much he sounded like George!

Here are highlights I remember -

• "Boundless Love"
• "Champion of Love" - This was the grand finale with all the guys Friday night. Scott and Gerald split the verses. 
• "Step Into the Water" - They almost sang this one twice! They started another song ("Boundless Love," I think) and Scott Fowler started singing the lyrics for "Step Into the Water." It definitely became the joke all weekend! Anytime they weren't sure what to sing next, Scott or one of the other guys would say, "Step Into the Water."
• "Bloodwashed Band"
• "Wedding Music"

I'm really not sure how to describe Saturday morning other than fun. Landon Beene of IMC Concerts said before it started that this was his favorite session of these events, and I can see why! I'm sure you never know exactly what will happen! 

They sang around the piano for about 30 minutes (the five guys and Pat on bass) and then told Cathedrals days stories. They let the audience request a few. So Pat had to sing "The Laughing Song." Someone also requested "Crimson River," which I was not familiar with. They all made it clear this was not one they had rehearsed, but still made it through a verse and chorus of the song! It was amazing to me how they remembered everything as they did especially with Gerald and Mark playing instruments. Once Gerald knew the key, he just took off. You forget what a great piano player he is sometimes, but I so impressed!

As I mentioned I wasn't well acquainted with the Cathedrals, but it was funny hearing several stories from the guys. I didn't know that Ernie Haase and Scott Fowler went to college together. And apparently Mark Trammell liked putting new members through an initiation process. Mark also told several stories of living on the same street as George and Roger Bennett. Ernie also told what it was like to go to George asking permission to marry his daughter. It was a great time with lots of laughs! They even let some audience members ask questions toward the end. 

It became a joke that weekend that Gerald Wolfe could tell exactly what day something happened. He knew date and day of the week for specific concerts and recordings. It really was amazing! The other guys were also taken a back by how good his memory was. Scott Fowler asked him what day he bought his first house, and he was stumped! Haha! So randomly the rest of the time, they would ask "When did you buy your first house?"

After the morning session, they had some memorabilia set up for us to look at and the last bus that the Cathedrals toured in that you could walk through.

Saturday night was similar to Friday night in that each group had its own set and then they had a "Cathedrals set." Danny Funderburk sang in the middle several songs solo between the four quartets. This was my first time hearing him live, but he's still got a great, strong tenor voice! 

Wayne Haun had to fly back to Nashville to prepare for the Dove Awards Saturday night, so Ernie had Scott Fowler fill in at baritone! It was fun watching Scott try to keep up with Signature Sound's choreography on "Glory to God in the Highest." He said after it was over that he got to fulfill two dreams that night, singing with Signature Sound and being on "Dancing With the Stars."

Here are highlights from Saturday - 

• "This Old House" - For the most part, Pat pulled bass duty. They started the last half of the concert with this song with Paul Harkey, Matthew Fouch and Pat each taking a verse and trading off. 
• "Yesterday" - This was just the five guys paying tribute to George. 
• "Can He Could He Would He"
• "Standing on Holy Ground"
• "Sin Will Take You Farther" - Love hearing Mark on this song!
• "Heavenly Parade" - Gerald said that he wanted to sing the bass part of this song. Pat tried to teach him how to "sell" the bass part. Hilarious!
• "I Thirst"
• "Search Me O God" - They started this with a clip of George and Glen. Then, the entire group of men from all the groups started singing. Incredible moment!
• "Climbing Higher and Higher"
• "We Shall See Jesus" - Probably the moment of the weekend!

This was such a great weekend of gospel music from the first note on Friday night to the very end on Saturday. I definitely recommend going if you get a chance. There are only a handful of these events left this year. I'm sure each event is a little different with the way things moved. The guys do a great job of reading the crowd and are willing to take requests from the audience! You won't regret attending one if you get a chance!

One last note - Roll Tide! I'm a huge Arkansas Razorback fan, but as promised, I said I'd give the Crimson Tide a shout out for beating the Hogs on Saturday, so there it is! 

Happy People Deluxe Edition - Ernie Haase and Signature Sound - CD Review

Ernie Haase and Signature Sound released a deluxe edition of Happy People last week. Doug Anderson departed the group earlier this year with Dustin Doyle coming on board with the group. With the personnel change, several songs were recut and a few new ones added for this project. Check out my original review here.

Many of the songs are the same as the original version. “Jesus Changed Everything,” “A Soldier Fighting To Come Home,” and “I Do Believe” were all recut for this project. A number of solo lines from other songs that featured Doug though were left alone, so the project has a mix of Doug and Dustin.

The deluxe edition does include four additional songs including another version of "Oh What a Savior." "Redemption Draweth Nigh" was the song used to introduce Dustin as a member of the group. He does an incredible job on this song. The version is pretty straightforward. He lets the lyrics and his voice speak for itself on the song.

"Go Down Moses" is one of the new cuts. It's a cappella featuring bass singer Paul Harkey. The style is like an old spiritual. "It's Jesus in Me" really lets Ernie's tenor voice shine. It has a "soft shoe" feel.

I think it's a neat concept to release a new version of a recent project with the personnel change. It's good to get a project with Dustin on it so soon. However, if you already have Happy People, it doesn't differ so much from the original version. Dustin's version of "Redemption Draweth Nigh" is definitely a highlight though!

National Quartet Convention 2015 - Thursday Night Recap

Tonight was by far the best night yet of NQC. There so many memorable moments from tonight, I'm going to try to narrow it the best I can. I was glad that tonight was one of the nights I got to watch all the way through.

The moment of the night definitely belonged to the Perrys. I loved hearing "Sing" from their project that releases tomorrow. Tracy was featured on an old Nelons song "Time Has Made a Change" with special guests Kelly Nelon Clark and Karen Peck Gooch. But they were not the only guests the Perrys had on stage! They started singing "I Wish I Could Have Been There" and Troy announced Loren Harris to come to the stage. He sang part of the first verse, and then passed it off to Joseph Habedank. They were all joined on stage by so many other Perrys alums including Mike Bowling, Nick Trammell, Bryan Walker, Debra Perry and Bryan Elliot had been playing piano for them the entire set. Loved the Perrys reunion that we got to see!!

Several top-notch groups went early in the night and had incredible sets like Tribute Quartet, Karen Peck and New River, the Old Paths and Greater Vision. Tribute started its set with an a cappella medley that was amazing! (Sorry I don't have a more specific name, but this was the first I'd ever heard them do this. If you know it, help me out!) Love hearing Karen sing "Pray Now!" It was a little bittersweet with this being The Old Paths last performance at NQC, but the guys really brought it tonight!

I couldn't believe that this was Gordon Mote's first time on main stage at NQC during an evening concert. He really amazes me to watch him play. Loved hearing him sing "Mercy Walked In." Also he got some help from the Voices of Lee on "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." Actually Voices of Lee made several appearances tonight. They sang with Canton Junction on "Every Hallelujah" and Lillie Knauls on "Oh Happy Day."

I thought Canton Junction had one of the strongest sets of the night. Since they don't really tour full time, it's good to hear them live (or live via webcast) when you get a chance. Also, the Mylon Hayes Family continues to impress me more and more. I like that they sang "Jesus Spoke to Me" and did the shape note singing tonight.

I'm glad the Whisnants sang a little bit of their newest single, "Worry Ends Where Faith Begins." Love that song! Then they ended with "New Day Dawning" turning it around several times and getting Mark and Nick Trammell to join in.

The night ended with a sample of the Brotherhood tour which is Ernie Haase and Signature Sound and the Booth Brothers. They had live music for most if not all of the set featuring Michael of course on drums. Loved hearing the two groups on songs like "Life Is Like a Mountain Railway" and "Home." They closed the night with the Gaither classic "He Touched Me." What a way to end the evening!!

Mark and Nick Trammell were great hosts tonight! I really like the theme that they've had this week (minus last night) of the father and sons. They all have played off each other well!

Highlights -

• A cappella medley - Tribute Quartet 
• "Pray Now" - Karen Peck and New River
• "Long Live the King" - The Old Paths
• "Wish I Coulda Been There" - The Perrys
• "Jesus Spoke to Me" - Mylon Hayes Family
• "Jesus Loves You"- Jeff and Sheri Easter
• "It's Almost Over" - Mark Trammell Quartet
• "The Cross Is Calling" - The Taylors
• "Oh Happy Day" - Lillie Knauls
• "Arise My Love" - Soul'd Out Quartet
• "New Day Dawning" - The Whisnants
• "He Touched Me" - Brotherhood (Ernie Haase and Signature Sound and the Booth Brothers)

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Sept. 12

Well, this will be a catch all of the past couple of weeks since I was in Branson. Here are some recent news items in Southern Gospel -

• Anthony Facello has announced a new season of ministry. He will be branching out as a soloist and closing the door on Beyond the Ashes as a full-time ministry. Beyond the Ashes and Friends will have some sporadic dates throughout the year.
• Tyler Vestal, who was with Beyond the Ashes, is joining Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. He will be playing piano for the group. Wayne Haun will still travel occasionally with the group and continue to serve as the musical director and producer. Wayne is now hosting a daily radio show and continues with a busy schedule with StowTown Records.
• Starting Monday, the Solid Gospel Radio Network will change to Singing News Radio. It will launch three news shows with new hosts. Find out more here. 
• A new documentary, America's Gospel Singers, The Legacy Lives On, will air on public television of the Chuck Wagon Gang. It was developed for New Haven Films by Marty Stuart. The full-length documentary chronicles the group’s 75-year history through family photographs, poignant personal stories, old recordings and new live performances.  
• Prayers requested for Joshua Ball, former member and brother of Ball Brothers, who has been in the hospital for more than a week with pancreatitis. Josh needs to have surgery to remove his gallbladder and any blockages, but he is very unstable at this point. Keep up with him on the Ball Brothers' Facebook page. If you'd like to contribute to help with medical expenses, go to his Go Fund Me. 

Anything I've missed?

Silver Dollar City Southern Gospel Picnic - Sept. 5, 2015

A soloist, little bluegrass and some great quartet singing is what yesterday held at Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic. I had the chance to see several groups for the first time, the Williamsons, Mountain Faith and Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. I had seen several of the members of EHSS before when they were with other groups but had never seen the group itself.

Here are highlights from the day - 

Mountain Faith

• This group has been on America's Got Talent this season and has developed quite the following from that! They made it pretty far in the competition and I can see why! They not only have a strong vocal talent but great musicians!
• "Emily, It's Love" - This song was made popular by Francesca Battestelli. The group definitely made the song its own.
• "There Is a God" - Beautiful song that Summer, the female vocalist, really shined on!
• "No Condemnation"
• "Absent From the Body"

Joseph Habedank 

• It was good seeing Joseph in a solo setting again. I hadn't seen him in person since last January when he first started as a soloist. He did a great mix of the hymns, new songs and favorites from his days with the Perrys.
• It was good hearing a lot of the new songs live for the first time like "Never No Never," "Welcome Home" and "Begging for Change."
• "Beauty of the Blood" - Before he sang this song, he had the audience sing with him on "Nothing But the Blood," great moment!
• "What a Day That Will Be" - He stated that this was the song he sang when he tried out for the Perrys.
• He ended a set with "Wish I Could Have Been There," which has always been a personal favorite!

Dixie Echoes

• Junior Shelton was still with the group at Silver Dollar City, so it's the same lineup I saw at Memphis Quartet Show a few months ago.
• The bass singer, Chandler Johnson, still really amazes me! Incredible talent for such a young guy!!
• "If You Know the Lord" - They sang the true four-part harmony on this song.
• "Roll on Jordan"
• Randy pulled out his guitar and played "Happy Rhythm." Not only is he pulling vocal duty now and playing the keys, but then he also showed off his guitar skills!
• "How Great Thou Art" 

Williamsons

• This was my first time seeing the group live, but I'm hoping to catch them again today. I was familiar with some of their music. 
• "Shout" was of course the song most people knew right away. I seriously hear this song on Southern Gospel radio daily. Great song and the audience was on its feet at the end!
• "Tell Somebody"
• "Monday" - Great song about how it's more important on how we live out the Christian life during the week, not just on Sundays.
• "It Was the Word"
• "How Great Thou Art" - This started with a trumpet solo, then the group joined in and invited the choir of 4,000+ people there to join with them. Incredible moment!

Ernie Haase and Signature Sound

• This was one of the moments I was anticipating most of the festival since I had never seen the group live before. I thought I knew what I was in for and I almost did, but their live concert experience is not something soon to be forgotten.
• The energy level of the night was just incredible. These guys don't stop. I never saw them tire out or slow down, they gave it their all every second they were on the stage.
• "Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord" - Such a fun song live!
• "Get Away Jordan" 
• "Ol Man River" and "Never Walk Alone" - Two songs from their new Broadway release. It was fun to hear these two songs for a little variety to the festival.
• "Jesus Changed Everything" - Love this song!!
• "Happy People" - Of course the audience was on its feet for this one, and they had to be when members started throwing frisbees in the air to try to catch!
• "Oh What a Savior" - I definitely expected to hear Ernie sing this one live during the night.
• "Step Into the Water" - Nice tribute to the Cathedrals with this song
• "Boundless Love" - They came back after the audience remained on its feet clapping with this one as an encore! Definitely glad they chose this song!